Executives who run news organizations didn’t get there by luck or on their own. NABJ is proud to present this exclusive series of workshops that will be led by news executives to help middle managers who aspire to more senior roles gain a better sense of what it takes to be an executive editor, a publisher, a news director or a general manager. From managing people to making the most of your other resources, the Executive Suite will give you a number of concrete steps you can take to prepare for advancement up the career ladder.

NABJ will produce this series during the 2011 Annual Convention and Career Fairthat will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from August 3-7, 2011.

Criteria

Applicants for Executive Suite Programming must currently be a section editor for print or online publications or an executive producer for a broadcast outlet.

Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume to NABJ Program Manager Jannice Hodge at Jhodge@nabj.org by July 8, 2011 with the subject heading "Executive Suite".

Confirmation of your participation will be sent by email by July 15, 2011.

8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.Using Technology to Engage Readers and Viewers Technological advances are making it easier to connect with readers and viewers. The latest social media tools - Twitter, Facebook, YouTube among others - coupled with the latest technology - iPads, Nook, Kindle, smart phones and 3D TV - are creating additional methods to produce and distribute content. Managers must decide what to use, how to use it and what to buy during a period of budgetary constraints. They must think more analytically about how they can retain, recruit and engage their audiences. During this session, we will discuss some of the latest developments and examine how some newsroom managers are using these tools to compete more effectively in a world where readers and viewers have a multitude of choices. Instructor: Neil Foote, President & CEO, Foote Communications, LLC

9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Opening Ceremony and Newsmaker Plenary

11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. (Boxed Lunch) Using Technology to Drive Change From equipping every reporter with an iPhone to training their writers to shoot video and file video from the field, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News have invested almost $1million in upgrading the technology and skills in their newsrooms. Learn about how their quest for digital integration is transforming the company. Instructors: Greg Osberg, CEO for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News ; Michael Days, Managing Editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer

1:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Strategic Planning: Creating the Plans and Getting them Done Strategic planning involves figuring out where you want to take your career, your team or your organization and charting a course that will get you there. You have to be able to set ambitious goals then map out the individual steps it will take to realize them. And, you'll need to bring key people along and measure your progress as you go. Instructors: Maria Arias, Executive Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Comcast; Charisse Lillie, Vice President of Community Investment, Comcast

3:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. What it takes to succeed in broadcast Q&A with David Rhodes, President, CBS News

5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. NABJ Receptions

Friday, August 5 8:00a.m. – 9:00a.m. Breakfast

9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Managing Up, Down and AcrossA key to in moving up the ladder is effectively communicating with your boss (managing up), the people who work for you (managing down) and your peers (managing across). There are important skills you need to demonstrate in communicating with your boss and understanding his or her expectations. You also need to know how to communicate those goals, objectives and expectations to subordinates and to fellow managers. Learn how to enhance your value and how you are viewed by your colleagues. Instructors: Drew Berry, Drew Berry & Associates; Marcellus Alexander, President, NAB Foundation

10:30 a.m. to 11:45 Being Innovative When Your Department Isn't (in conjunction with the Executive Leadership Council) Imagine if every person in your department came to work with the belief that their ideas could have an imprint on the future of the organization. Stop imagining and put your ideas into action. Some lines of business exist for ongoing operations and the thought and novelty of incorporating innovation is a foreign concept. Innovation is the responsibility of every leader at every level. Achieving sustained improvement requires commitment from the entire organization. Be inspired to improve your team's performance and help cultivate an environment that fosters innovation and creative leadership. Instructors: Keith Clinkscales, SVP ESPN Moderator: Paula Madison

12:00p.m. to 1:15 p.m. (Working Lunch) Positioning Strategic Mentors: Strategies for Minimizing Risk Not every great idea makes it to market. Conservatism tends to dominate in many large organizations. Not because organizations are inherently biased against innovation, but rather organizations are typically oriented towards stability. Initially, the odds are stacked against most innovative ideas. But having a positive, persuasive, and collaborative leadership style can significantly minimize the risk associated with your new idea.

Identifying key stakeholders-those individuals who will be the most affected by your actions or whose support you will need is a critical early step to successfully implementing your new idea. Strategically positioned mentors can also go a very long way towards helping you understand and overcome resisters. Collect the information which your strategic mentors will find useful and persuasive; marshal your arguments and try to pre-sell your conclusions, recommendations, and innovative solutions. Instructors: DesireeDancy, SVP and Chief Diversity Officer, The New York Times; Dasha Smith Swin, Esq., VP Employment Law and Human Resource –Time Inc.

This session will cover key steps in the recruitment and hiring process from defining the job and building a pool of candidates to assessing candidates and landing the ones you want. These veteran executives also will offer insights into how to retain your organization's best talent. Instructors: Virgil Smith, Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Diversity at Gannett; Crystal Johns, Director of Development and Diversity at CBS News